[0:00] [Music] [0:14] Hello, I'm Shore View Mayor Sue [0:16] Denkager. Thank you for taking a few [0:18] minutes to join me in this video version [0:20] of the state of the city address. We [0:22] found that offering this important [0:24] information in a video format provides [0:27] better access for our residents and [0:29] business owners. Over the next several [0:31] minutes, I'll be sharing some of the [0:33] great work the city has accomplished on [0:34] your behalf over the last year and share [0:37] what is expected in the [0:39] future. Know that I'm honored to have [0:42] this opportunity as mayor to help guide [0:44] our continued success and extremely high [0:46] quality of life. Of course, doing this [0:49] job would not be possible without a [0:51] dedicated, caring, and hard-working city [0:53] council, which includes Corey [0:55] Springhorn, John Don, Shelley Mirland, [0:58] and our newest member, Paul Gardner. I [1:01] also want to recognize Emmy Johnson, who [1:03] recently left the city council after 12 [1:06] years of service. [1:08] This important work also couldn't be [1:10] possible without the many passionate and [1:12] capable community volunteers and highly [1:15] respected and driven staff who make all [1:17] our goals and plans a reality. Our [1:20] vision in Shore View is to be a [1:23] welcoming community that provides [1:24] quality services, safe and beautiful [1:27] neighborhoods, a vibrant economy, and [1:30] exceptional recreation opportunities. We [1:33] take great pride in our reputation of [1:35] being a welcoming and vibrant community [1:37] and are always learning and improving, [1:39] often thanks to resident feedback, which [1:42] is greatly [1:43] appreciated. Our mission is to foster [1:46] community pride and create a high [1:48] quality of life by providing exceptional [1:51] services and amenities. We accomplish [1:53] this by focusing on what matters most to [1:56] our residents, continuously finding ways [1:58] to improve our service delivery, and [2:01] taking a long range planning approach to [2:03] ensure future generations will have the [2:06] same or higher quality of life than we [2:08] enjoy today. Now, let's look at some of [2:10] our many accomplishments from the past [2:13] year. for community engagement. We [2:16] further enhanced our night to ununite [2:18] program in 2024 with teams of staff and [2:21] elected officials connecting with 68 [2:23] neighborhoods and nearly 3,000 [2:26] residents. The second annual multifamily [2:29] engagement event took place at Midland [2:31] Terrace Apartments. Elected officials, [2:34] staff from all departments along with [2:36] the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office and [2:38] Lake Johanna Fire Department connected [2:41] with dozens of residents where they [2:43] live. Online engagement continues to [2:46] improve with over 500 posts across the [2:49] city's Facebook and Instagram pages. [2:52] This allows us to engage with our [2:54] residents wherever they may be. and we [2:57] continue to be committed in providing an [3:00] open and accessible government and make [3:02] many efforts to increase our [3:04] communications with residents. We do [3:07] this through a variety of methods [3:09] including the city's website and social [3:11] media accounts, our quarterly Shoreviews [3:14] newsletter and the bimonthly access [3:16] Shoreview e newswsletter. We also [3:19] implemented closed captioning for our [3:21] city council and planning commission [3:23] meetings to further improve our [3:25] accessibility. [3:26] Now, let's look at economic and [3:28] community development. Redevelopment is [3:31] taking place across the city, including [3:34] major office, industrial, and apartment [3:36] projects. Some highlights include the [3:39] Aloma apartment complex off of Lexington [3:42] Avenue, which is now completed, and a [3:45] housing development at 580 Highway 96 [3:49] that includes eight single family homes [3:51] and 14 detached villas. a new apartment [3:55] and town home project at Grasey Road and [3:57] Hodgson Road. There's also a mixeduse [4:00] redevelopment of the former Ramsey [4:03] County public works site at Interstate [4:05] 694 and Rice Street was recently [4:08] approved. The city is working with [4:10] Enclave on this project and three new [4:14] buildings totaling almost 450,000 square [4:17] feet on the former Deluxe campus will [4:20] bring hundreds of jobs to the community. [4:23] Fair View Health Services and Binks will [4:26] move to Shore View and longtime [4:28] Shoreview based PAR system Systems who [4:30] started in Shore View in [4:32] 1961 expands their presence in the [4:35] community. This redevelopment along with [4:38] new construction resulted in the highest [4:40] construction valuation in Shore View's [4:43] history in 2024. [4:46] In addition to guiding construction [4:48] activities, we continue to find ways to [4:50] further support our community through [4:53] policy development and partnerships. We [4:56] adopted regulations related to cannabis [4:59] businesses as well as short-term rental [5:01] properties to protect our community. We [5:04] continue to improve on our code [5:06] enforcement efforts in order to protect [5:08] the health and wellness of the [5:10] community. This includes the Shine [5:12] program which raises resident awareness [5:15] and provides education around common [5:17] property issues. Work also continues [5:20] towards enhancing our affordable housing [5:22] options as redevelopment takes place. [5:25] Every new rental development with over [5:27] 20 units must include affordable [5:30] housing. We also continue to partner [5:33] with our business community to assist in [5:35] meeting their needs and to foster strong [5:38] relationships. [5:39] These important economic and community [5:42] development efforts ensure Shore View [5:44] continues to be a vibrant community into [5:47] the future. Now, let's look at parks and [5:50] recreation. 2024 was a hugely successful [5:54] year for the community center with [5:56] continued high attendance numbers [5:57] enjoying our premier water park, fitness [6:00] center, indoor playground, gymnasium, [6:03] and rental facilities. These are heavily [6:06] utilized and valued assets for our [6:08] community and the region. Recreation [6:11] programs also continue to offer a [6:14] multitude of programs and events. From [6:16] preschool to senior fit, individual [6:19] programs to concert series, we offer [6:22] something for almost everyone to enjoy. [6:25] The parks and trails system is also [6:27] busier than ever thanks to the [6:29] destination playground, skate park, and [6:32] gardens at the Shore View Commons [6:33] campus. A new monument was installed in [6:37] 2024 in honor of former mayor Sandy [6:40] Martin, who has served the Shore View [6:42] community for [6:43] decades. We also continued implementing [6:46] a park system master plan. Through this [6:49] plan, our 11 parks will receive [6:51] improvements in the years to come. These [6:55] projects and investments help us all [6:57] give Shore View residents access to [6:59] these highquality amenities. In 2024, [7:04] work began on a major park redevelopment [7:06] at Bobby Tyson Park, which includes a [7:09] new park building and playground, and [7:11] significant improvements to pickle ball [7:13] and tennis courts, the ice rink, and [7:16] smaller playfields. New permanent [7:19] restroom facilities at Shore View [7:21] Commons Park are also being constructed. [7:24] Both projects should be completed later [7:26] this summer. for public works. [7:29] Infrastructure improvements are always a [7:31] major focus in the city. In 2024, the [7:35] city rehabilitated 4 and a half miles of [7:38] roadway pavement and one mile of trails. [7:41] In addition, new sidewalks were [7:43] installed along Churchill and McCubbin [7:45] Streets near Churchill Street Restaurant [7:48] and Confestion Art Trust. We also worked [7:50] with Ramsey County as they led [7:53] infrastructure projects in the city. [7:55] This included a new roundabout at the [7:57] County Road J and Hodgson Road [7:59] intersection and the Hodgson Road [8:01] reconstruction project from Highway 96 [8:04] to Grahamy Road. This important project [8:08] includes new storm water infrastructure, [8:11] trails and sidewalks, a roundabout, and [8:14] new water and sanitary sewer systems. [8:17] Additionally, we focused on maintaining [8:20] our incredibly important utility [8:22] infrastructure, including rehabilitating [8:25] five lift stations, cleaning over 100 [8:28] miles of sanitary sewer piping, [8:30] inspecting approximately 1,200 sewer [8:33] manholes, and flushing over,00 hydrants. [8:37] and towards sustainability. Shore View [8:40] continues to be a leader in [8:41] sustainability as a step five city, the [8:44] highest possible achievement of the [8:46] green cities program. In 2024, the city [8:51] adopted our energy action plan through [8:53] the partners in energy program. This is [8:56] an important step in reducing our energy [8:59] consumption. [9:01] Additional focus areas include reducing [9:04] our impact on the environment through [9:06] reducing water consumption, storm water [9:09] reuse, installation of rain gardens, [9:12] increasing the size of natural areas, [9:14] and implementation of smart salting [9:17] techniques. Another major investment is [9:20] related to emerald ash bore. We removed [9:24] 245 dying trees last year and continued [9:27] replanting a diverse number of tree [9:30] species to ensure we have a healthy tree [9:32] canopy in the future. Our focus on [9:35] sustainability has continued to grow as [9:38] we adapt to the changing climate and [9:40] work to limit our impact on the [9:43] environment. Our next focus is on public [9:46] safety. Shore View's public safety, so [9:49] important to our community, is provided [9:51] by our valued partners and excellent [9:54] service providers, the Lake Johanna Fire [9:56] Department and the Ramsey County [9:58] Sheriff's Office. They work hard to [10:00] provide highquality, proactive, and [10:03] emergency response services for our [10:06] community at an affordable cost. In [10:08] 2024, the Lake Johanna Fire Department [10:11] received a safer grant, which helped to [10:13] fund the first three years of six new [10:16] full-time captain positions. The [10:18] investment resulted in the ability to [10:20] staff a third station 247, further [10:24] improving an already fast response time, [10:26] specifically in Northern Shore View. The [10:29] average emergency response time for the [10:31] Lake Johanna Fire Department, which [10:33] responds to medical as well as fire [10:35] calls, fell to a remarkable 4 minutes [10:38] and 51 seconds in 2024. They've [10:41] maintained this fast response time even [10:44] as calls for service continue to [10:46] increase. A new service called the [10:48] appropriate response initiative was [10:51] implemented in partnership with the [10:52] sheriff's office in 2024. This service [10:56] is embedded in dispatch and will be sent [10:58] on certain limited calls in which a [11:00] mental health expert is more appropriate [11:03] than a licensed peace officer. We thank [11:06] our public safety partners for the work [11:08] they do every day to keep us safe and to [11:11] respond when we need them most. Now, [11:14] let's focus on finance. The city takes [11:17] exceptional pride in its financial [11:19] management through the adoption of our [11:21] two-year budget, our five-year operating [11:24] plan, 5-year capital improvement plan, [11:27] and our long range comprehensive [11:30] infrastructure replacement plan. This [11:32] helps the city council make wise [11:34] financial decisions which limit the [11:37] impact on our taxpayers as much as [11:39] possible. [11:41] Recently, our AAA credit rating was [11:43] affirmed, which helps to reduce costs [11:46] when we need to issue debt. The city has [11:48] had a AAA rating since [11:51] 2010. We also continue to invest in [11:54] technology to streamline our operations [11:56] and secure our important [11:59] infrastructure. Recently, the city was [12:01] awarded a certificate achievement for [12:03] excellence in financial reporting for [12:06] the 39th year in a row. This is from the [12:09] Government Finance Officers [12:11] Association. We are very aware how our [12:14] budget impacts all of our residents and [12:16] property owners and strive to be as [12:19] efficient as possible with these [12:21] resources. I'm proud to share that when [12:24] compared to 28 other similarlysized [12:27] metro communities. We are sixth lowest [12:29] in city taxes. In Shore View, city taxes [12:33] on a median value home are approximately [12:36] $111 a month. I feel that this is an [12:40] incredible value for access to emergency [12:43] services of police, fire, and ambulance, [12:46] safe and highquality streets, incredible [12:49] parks and public spaces, property [12:51] management, administration, [12:54] sustainability efforts, and much, much [12:56] more. As proud as I am of our recent [12:59] accomplishments, I am excited about our [13:01] future. Here are a few of our priorities [13:04] I'd like to highlight for the city in [13:05] our short-term future. As briefly [13:08] mentioned earlier, an exciting project [13:11] is moving forward to redevelop the [13:13] former Ramsey County Public Works site [13:15] off of Rice Street south of 694. [13:19] This project known as Rice Street [13:21] Crossing will turn a former blighted [13:23] area into a new vibrant housing [13:26] development with a mix of market rate [13:28] and affordable units that will also [13:31] include either a restaurant or retail [13:33] space. A new headquarters fire station [13:36] will be constructed for the Lake Johanna [13:39] Fire Department in collaboration with [13:41] the cities of Ardan Hills and North [13:43] Oaks. This important and long-term [13:46] investment will improve service delivery [13:48] to our cities and provide much needed [13:51] training space for our fire department. [13:53] The city was successful in securing over [13:56] $6 million in funds from the state of [13:59] Minnesota for this important project, [14:01] helping to limit the financial impact on [14:04] our community. The city will continue to [14:06] invest in our parks and recreational [14:08] facilities by completing our projects at [14:11] Bobby Tyson Park and Shore View Commons [14:14] as well as updating the playground at [14:16] Shamrock Park. Following the recent [14:18] adoption of our energy action plan, the [14:21] city will work with residents and [14:23] business owners to provide information [14:25] on ways to save energy and money, [14:27] increasing renewable energy and reducing [14:30] fossil fuel use. and community [14:33] engagement continues to be a high [14:35] priority for the city as we continually [14:38] find ways to increase engagement with [14:40] our residents. This year, the city is [14:43] hosting its sixth leadership academy in [14:46] which residents learn about how the city [14:48] operates over a 7-week program. This [14:51] program is offered every two years and [14:54] provides a great opportunity to learn [14:56] about the city. And finally, the city is [14:59] in the process of updating our land use [15:02] and development code. This update is [15:04] important to ensure that land use [15:07] decisions moving forward reflect the [15:09] current and future needs of the [15:11] Shoreview community, and they will [15:13] include some public engagement. These [15:15] are just a few of the important [15:17] priorities as we work towards our city [15:19] mission and vision for the future. As I [15:22] begin my second term as mayor, I am [15:24] focused on working with the city [15:26] council, residents, business owners, [15:28] community leaders, and staff to continue [15:31] our success as a city and to strengthen [15:34] our community relationships and enhance [15:36] our quality of life. Shore View is a [15:39] special place and thanks to the vision [15:41] of past city leaders, we have access to [15:43] a great number of resources and we're [15:46] able to enjoy a high quality of life. [15:48] I'm excited to lead Shore View into the [15:50] future by building on these past [15:52] successes as well as finding areas where [15:55] we can adapt to our evolving needs. And [15:58] a key part of this is strengthening the [16:00] strong foundation of trust we have with [16:02] you, our community, and continuing to [16:05] enhance community engagement and provide [16:07] opportunities for residents to shape our [16:09] future. I encourage you to get involved [16:12] by exploring our website, following our [16:15] communication platforms, or volunteering [16:18] on an advisory board, or with a [16:20] community [16:21] organization. I firmly believe that [16:23] local government has the greatest impact [16:25] on quality of life. And I'm committed to [16:28] working hard to create an even better [16:30] city for current and future residents [16:32] and businesses by collaborating with [16:35] residents, neighboring cities, and other [16:37] levels of government. And by [16:39] prioritizing long range planning, Shore [16:42] View will continue to be a premier [16:44] community in Minnesota. On behalf of the [16:47] entire city council, I would like to [16:49] thank our many volunteers that make up [16:51] our nine advisory boards and eight [16:53] community organizations, as well as all [16:56] of those who help keep our parks and [16:58] trails clean. I'd also like to thank the [17:01] many faith communities in our city. All [17:04] of these groups help build civic pride [17:06] and make our community stronger. [17:08] Finally, many thanks to our professional [17:10] and dedicated city staff that work to [17:13] provide a wide variety of services and [17:15] programs to our citizens and guests with [17:18] a high level of customer service. I also [17:21] want to acknowledge our pride in our [17:23] Mounds View and Roseville school [17:25] districts for their excellent [17:26] educational opportunities and their [17:29] partnership. It is truly an honor and [17:32] privilege to serve as the mayor of our [17:34] great city and I look forward to [17:36] continuing to work together to ensure [17:38] our continued progress and success in [17:41] the future. Thank you so much for your [17:43] time. Thank you for participating in the [17:46] Shore View community. I wish you all a [17:49] happy and healthy year ahead.